Happiness, Play, and Celebration

3 credits · Undergraduate

Sociology and social anthropology often focus on social problems, social pathologies, and social suffering. Yet we can learn just as much about the world by inquiring into the more positive elements of social life – not through rose-tinted glasses, but with a clear, critical approach. This course explores values and practices of happiness, play, and celebration. It addresses questions like: What makes us happy? Is happiness different from pleasure, satisfaction, wellbeing, or joy? Can we quantify happiness, and if so, should we? Why and how do humans play? What does play do for us? How do ideas about play and leisure reflect our societies? What are the defining features of celebrations like life-cycle rituals, religious rituals, or cultural festivals? Can we tell if they are ‘authentic’ or serving hidden agendas of, say, city-boosting or state-building? The course unfolds in three parts – Happiness, Play, and Celebration – though the three are closely intertwined. PREREQUISITES: One 1000-level SOSA course or FYP FORMATS: Lecture